title: Randomized controlled trial of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on childhood allergies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diets high in n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) may modulate the development of IgE-mediated allergic disease and have been proposed as a possible allergy prevention strategy. The aim of this study was to determine whether n-3 LCPUFA supplementation of pregnant women reduces IgE-mediated allergic disease in their children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up of children (n = 706) at hereditary risk of allergic disease in the Docosahexaenoic Acid to Optimise Mother Infant Outcome randomized controlled trial. The intervention group (n = 368) was randomly allocated to receive fish oil capsules (providing 900 mg of n-3 LCPUFA daily) from 21 weeks' gestation until birth; the control group (n = 338) received matched vegetable oil capsules without n-3 LCPUFA. The diagnosis of allergic disease was made during medical assessments at 1 and 3 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were seen in the overall percentage of children with IgE-mediated allergic disease in the first 3 years of life between the n-3 LCPUFA and control groups (64/368 (17.3%) vs 76/338 (22.6%); adjusted relative risk 0.78; 95% CI 0.58-1.06; P = 0.11). Eczema was the most common allergic disease; 13.8% of children in the n-3 LCPUFA group had eczema with sensitization compared with 19.0% in the control group (adjusted relative risk 0.75; 95% CI 0.53-1.05; P = 0.10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy did not significantly reduce IgE-associated allergic disease in the first 3 years of life. Further studies should examine whether the nonsignificant reductions in IgE-associated allergies are of clinical and public health significance.
authors.affiliation: Women's & Children's Health Research Institute, North Adelaide, SA, Australia; School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heddle
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makrides
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004485:Eczema / Q000276:immunology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils
keywords: allergy prevention; eczema; fatty acids; pregnancy; randomized controlled trial